A wet cold chain distribution system and apparatus therefor

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the field of the transportation and storage of goods and to temperature control systems for such, commonly referred to as cold chain systems or distribution. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system, apparatus and a method for a wet cold chain distribution system. There is a growing concern with the over-use of plastics in the packaging industry and the present invention seeks to provide a wet distribution box having being formed from a cardboard blank. The present invention seeks to provide a solution to the problems addressed above. The present invention also seeks to provide a temperature controlled transport/storage assembly that can be made from cardboard and recycled materials and be further re-used or recycled in due course.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of the transportation andstorage of goods and to temperature control systems for such, commonlyreferred to as cold chain systems or distribution. More specifically,the present invention relates to a system, apparatus and a method for awet cold chain distribution system.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

All food spoils. Although often taken for granted by consumers inmodern, developed societies, maintaining a reliable food supply hasalways played a major role in the history of our species. Theinescapable realities that food production is inherently patchy in bothtime and space and that all food inevitably spoils have led to numeroustechnological innovations in preservation, storage, and transportation.

Depending on temperature, water content, nutrient composition, and thepresence or absence of antibiotic compounds, many foodstuffs can remainnutritious and nontoxic to humans for periods from a few hours to manyyears. Food scientists use shelf life to quantify the length of time afood can be stored and remain suitable for human consumption orcommercial sale, but the storage times and temperatures can vary byorders of magnitude depending on the type of the foodstuff,environmental conditions, and methods of preservation. At one extreme,fresh fish, meat, shellfish, and many fruits and vegetables can bestored for only a few days, even under refrigeration

Nonetheless, most spoilage of food meant for human consumption is causedby microorganisms, which effectively compete with humans for limited andvaluable food resources. Given access to unprotected foodstuffs,bacteria and fungi rapidly colonize, increase in population, and producetoxic and distasteful chemicals. To help prevent food spoilage bymicrobe and fungi, humans use two main strategies, namely: obstructionand inhibition.

Obstruction techniques reduce microbial and fungicidal access tosusceptible foodstuffs. Given that microbes are extremely small, havesuch enormous populations, and often disperse as resistant air-borne,water-borne, or soil-borne spores, they rapidly colonize unprotectedfoodstuffs. Fungi such as moulds and mushrooms can be quite large, butspores thereof are also extremely small. Colonization can be retarded bycovering or otherwise isolating foods, but it can be prevented only bysealing sterile food in an impermeable container. In the case of wetproduce such as fresh fish, this is extremely difficult to achieve.

The alternative, more commonly employed strategy is to retard spoilageby creating conditions that inhibit the growth or limit the size ofmicrobial and/or fungal populations. Microbial and/or fungal populationgrowth rates depend on environmental conditions. Washing food, forexample, removes some microbes from the surface whilst other techniquescreate an unfavourable environment, such as salination, drying,pasteurization and irradiation kill or reduce the fecundity of microbes.Temperature is especially important because the metabolic rates andpopulation growth of food-spoiling microbes are effectively zero whenbelow freezing and increase approximately exponentially withtemperatures over the range of 0-40° C. This can be quantified in termsof Q10, the factor by which growth rate increases with every 10° C.increase in temperature. The typical Q10 values for microbes that spoilfood range between 2.3 and 4.1. To appreciate the implications, notethat with Q10 = 3, a single microbe that doubles every two days at 4° C.will double about every hour at 34° C. and will produce roughly 280trillion (2.8 × 1014) descendants over a 2-day time period.

Microbial and/or fungal growth rates are generally highest on substratesthat provide a well-hydrated, well-balanced mix of carbohydrates,proteins, and lipids and sufficient quantities of essential minerals.These conditions are most readily met on fresh meat, fish and seafood,in particular. Microbial and/or fungal growth rates are lower, and mayapproach zero, when the composition of food deviates from such idealmixtures. Water content is especially important. Microbes and/or fungigrowing on fresh animal and plant tissues are in approximate osmoticbalance, because the water content of active bacterial and fungal cellsand of these substrates are similar.

In the field of logistics, that is the field of movement and supply ofproduce and materials, refrigerated trucks, trailers and ISO containersare commonly used to transport perishable commodities in a cold chaindistribution system for supermarket distribution. In the transport ofseafood such as fish, fish will be packed within packs of ice and willbe maintained at a particular temperature. During storage and transportwithin an ambient atmosphere, the ice will be heated and become liquidwater. It is known that storing and transporting fish and like goodswithin water will deleteriously affect the quality of the goods. Fishhas been transported over the years over great distances only oncesalted or smoked. Otherwise fish was typically consumed fresh onlywithin a short distance from where it was landed. With the developmentof railway & road communications in the nineteenth and twentiethcenturies, baskets such as wicker baskets for local use were - as seenin FIG. 1 - replaced with wooden boxes- as seen in FIG. 2 . The woodenboxes were filled with fish for local transport and with ice fortransport as ice machines became available.

Before the invention of the refrigerator, icehouses were used to providecool storage for most of the year. Placed near freshwater lakes orpacked with snow and ice during the winter, they were once very common.The first commercial refrigerators became available after mideighteen-hundreds, but it was not until the early twentieth century thatdomestic refrigerators became readily available -albeit suchrefrigerators initially cost many times more than motor cars, which thenwere still of high value and only a small percentage of the populationcould readily afford such. Wooden boxes, in turn, were replaced withplastic boxes firstly of rigid plastics - as seen in FIG. 3 , where anunderside of a box 30 is shown with drainage holes 31. Presently,expanded polystyrene, has tended to replace rigid plastics, wherebenefits of low thermal conductivity has been of considerable benefit.All these boxes have been characterized in that they are employed wet,with boxes arranged such that there are gaps between slats of a baseportion of a wooden box, with slots or other holes moulded apertures ina base panel of a plastics box to permit water from frozen ice to passto from the box. This allows a low temperature environment to be createdbut without the existence of standing water to achieve an environmentwhich inhibits growth and existence of bacteria and fungi. It is notablethat in passive cold chain shipping systems, in recent years, there hasbeen an increasing use of phase change materials (PCM) - which arestored in plastic containers and are re-usable - can generally providesuperior temperature control over extended periods relative to ice.However, in view of the nature of wet goods such as fish, the expense ofPCMs and the fact that for hygiene reasons there would be a need toclean the PCM containers, ice has remained a coolant of choice. In viewof the amount of fluids, cardboard has not generally been employed inthe wet distribution industry. Indeed, any biodegradable system willbreakdown in the presence of water and this has led to the maintenanceof the use of plastics in particular expanded polystyrene - which iswell known for its tendency to break-up into environment-unfriendlybeads which are difficult to collect and dispose of in a simple fashion.

GB1356804 (Svein Stromberg) provides a box suitable for transportingfish, formed from a plastics material and having a pair of opposite sidewalls each wall in its upper portion being inclined inwardly and thencontinuing substantially vertically upwards before being directedsubstantially horizontally outwards to form an integral flange and thecorners of the box being formed as hollow pillars open at at least oneend. US4386700 (Nestier Corp) provides a plurality of identical open topcontainers which may be vertically stacked, for the transport of items,such as fish, involving liquid that is desirably drained from eachcontainer. Drainage from one container into a lower container andtherefore contamination of the lower container is prevented by drainholes in each of the stacking feet communicating directly with the upperinlet end of a downwardly and outwardly sloping channel in the supportportion of the next lower container, in the stacked position. WO9607603(Norsk Hydro) Provides a transport box for handling fresh food such asfish, meat or the like, comprises a bottom section, sidewalls andpossibly a lid. The interior side of the bottom is provided withdraining means for draining liquid such as serum or the like that exudesfrom the food.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

There is a growing concern with the over-use of plastics in thepackaging industry and the present invention seeks to provide a wetdistribution box having being formed from a cardboard blank. The presentinvention seeks to provide a solution to the problems addressed above.The present invention also seeks to provide a temperature controlledtransport/storage assembly that can be made from plant-based celluloseproducts, such as cardboard and recycled materials and be furtherre-used or recycled in due course.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

In accordance with a general aspect of the invention, there is provideda transport/storage container for transporting/storing wet distributionsgoods.

In accordance with a first embodiment to of the invention, there isprovided a wet cold chain distribution transport/storage container forthe transport /storage of wet products comprising: a corrugated boardbox and an insert; wherein the corrugated board box comprises at least abase panel and a wall panel, the wall panel having a height defined byan upper edge with respect to the base, the corrugated board box beingprovided with at least one aperture in a wall portion proximate to orwithin the base panel, the base and wall panel having inside faces andan external faces; wherein the insert comprises a waterproof membrane ina general bag-like shape having an open end with a perimeter edge, asleeve portion which terminates at a closed end and a height beinggreater than twice the height of the sidewall of the box; wherein theclosed end of the insert is arranged against the inside base panel ofthe box and the closed end is provided with at least one aperture, eachsaid at least one aperture being associated with a correspondingaperture of the box; wherein the perimeter edge of the open end of theinsert is arranged about the external faces of the wall panel dependingbelow the base of the box lowermost outside, wherein a further aperturewithin the sleeve portion and in correspondence with an aperture of theclosed end to form an aperture pair, each aperture pair being sealedtogether to form a unitary aperture; the transport /storage containerpermitting placement of wet goods within the insert, the or eachaperture pair permitting drainage of fluid from within the insert,outside of the container. By having drainage outwith a box, boardproducts of a fibrous nature with little or no waterproofing can beemployed, whereby inexpensive board can be used; the waterproof bag canconveniently be manufactured from a variety of plastics films, withpolyethylene being readily available. The plastics bags need to besufficiently robust to maintain integrity despite coming into contactwith products such as crushed ice, the fins of fish and the jagged edgesof crustacean as well as being suitable for use with foods and besufficiently flexible. Various forms of bag construction can beemployed, including laminates can be used when the physical propertiesare needed.

Conveniently, the corrugated board is formed from paperboard, but otherforms of cellulose fibre board could be employed, including bamboo andhemp. Preferably, the transport/storage container comprises a box havingrectangular dimensions, which are widely used in industry. Therectangular boxes can be of various dimensions but are ideally shaped tofully occupy the surface area of a pallet, such as a Euro pallet, of 800mm × 1200 mm, with the boxes being arranged such that boxes of differentlayers are arranged to enable overlap of subsequent boxes, to providestability. Typically, in the fish industry, three 400 mm x 800 mm fishboxes will be used, to cover a Euro pallet, with four or more layersfrequently being employed, to maximize transport volumes. The so-calledEuro-boxes come in a number of heights suitable for 25 kg and 10 Kgloads. The aperture in the box may be arranged such that it is definedwithin a wall panel proximate the base panel, but may be defined withina base panel proximate a wall panel.

The invention may be arranged as a system of containers comprising atleast first and second containers, wherein a second box is placed upon afirst box, the arrangement permitting drainage of any wet goodsassociated with the second box through at least one drainage aperture ortube thereof, the drainage being arranged such that the aperture or tubeis operable to drain clear of the lower, first box.

Preferably the containers comprise stacking formations able to interlockwith corresponding formations on a like container when the containersare in the erect or collapsed condition, and are stacked one upon theother, the stacked containers being substantially prevented fromrelative movement by the interlocking of the stacking formations. Thestacking formations may comprise projections and recesses. The stackingformations are preferably arranged to prevent containers sliding one onthe other when stacked.

The invention also provides a blank for the construction of a celluloseboard container comprising a base, side walls having an erect conditionand a collapsed condition, the container side wall and/or base panelbeing provided with apertures for drainage tubes to pass through.Alternatively, nozzle assemblies may be placed within apertures definedwithin the bag. The nozzles may have surfaces bearing adhesive and / orliquid adhesive may be used to ensure that liquid passes from the bag tothe outside. Conveniently, the nozzle is formed from a rigid, but notbrittle plastics material. In accordance with a still further aspect ofthe invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a box.

It will be apparent from the following description that the features ofthe first aspect of the invention set out above can be used along withthe features of the second aspect of the invention as set out above, invarious combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will nowbe made, by way of example only, to the Figures as shown in theaccompanying drawing sheets, wherein:-

FIG. 1 is a view of a fish basket in use where a catch of herrings isprocessed;

FIG. 2 shows the use of fish boxes in a harbour setting;

FIG. 3 shows the underside of a plastics moulded box;

FIGS. 4 i-4 iv shows an example of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 5 i, ii show, respectively a second embodiment of the inventiontogether with an insert associated therewith;

FIG. 6 shows how the insert membrane can be placed within a box inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 shows how a number of boxes in accordance with a first embodimentcan be arranged in a stacked relationship;

FIG. 8 shows a second box style, with two in a stacked relationship;

FIG. 9 shows a third box in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 10 shows a schematic outline of a simple system for producingplastics bags;

FIG. 11 details a nozzle in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 12 shows a view from inside a box with the nozzle per FIG. 11 inposition;

FIG. 13 details an inside view of a wall-wall-base corner of a box;

FIG. 14 shows an exemplary set of grommets;

FIGS. 14 i-14 iv show variant sin grommet design and size; and

FIG. 15 shows an example of an insert nozzle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

There will now be described, by way of example only, the best modecontemplated by the inventor for carrying out the present invention. Inthe following description, numerous specific details are set out inorder to provide a complete understanding to the present invention. Itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the present inventionmay be put into practice with variations of the specific.

Referring to FIG. 4 i there is shown a first embodiment of the inventionwherein an open-top produce box 40 is shown have upstanding walls 41extending from a base panel indicated at 42. The produce box 40 isprovided with horizontal supports 43 at corners 44. Produce boxes havingan open top and horizontal support 43, whether extending across allside, opposite short sides or just the corners serve to provide an easyto fill box, with extra strength arising from the horizontal portions,are typically used in many fisheries and agricultural scenarios and aresometimes referred to as facepack boxes. At each of the lower corners ofthe shorter sidewalls there are provided apertures 47 within the box 40.If only present on a side wall 41 of the box, it is preferable theaperture 47 is as close to the bottom of the wall panel as possible.Indeed, it may share a perimeter with the base, and be in the generalshape of an inverted “U”. A bag like insert 45, is provided having amouth or open end 51 (outside perimeter of insert) defining a mainopening 55 to permit wet goods to be inserted therein and a closed end.The closed end is shown as it is being placed in the box; the outsidemouth — depending by a throat section 52 has yet to be pulled down aswill be shown in the following figure, FIG. 4 ii . In the manufacture ofsuch boxes, compressed gases (suitable for intended use of box) can beemployed to assist in the placement of the insert bag, although othermechanical systems can be deployed, as would be known to those skilled.Whilst the carton or box 40 can be simply be manufactured using suitablestrength corrugate cardboard e.g. of twin ortri-wall, e.g. of 12-15 mmthick (as opposed to polystyrene of 20-25 mm thickness), additionalinsulation material could be placed, such as single card inserts, or oneor more windings of single-face corrugated board - i.e. more volume perbox can be reasonably envisaged. External layers could be provided, butthis could compromise an ability to stack on a pallet.

Whilst FIG. 4 i shows the box with only the insert 45 in place withinthe box 40, FIG. 4 ii shows the mouth part or perimeter portion 51 ofthe insert element depending around the outside walls 41 of thecontainer 40. In particular, a throat part 52 of the insert element 45,adjacent the mouth or perimeter 51 of the insert/bag element dependsbelow the lowermost edges of the sidewalls 41 and extends over theapertures 47 in the box 40. Accordingly, there is an area of overlap ofplastic film between the inside insert film and the outside dependingthroat part 52 of the insert, which is sealed together to form anaperture 46. The aperture 46, in accordance with the invention, isconveniently formed by means of one of heat-sealing, grommet-insertion,crimping or otherwise, whereby to provide a port 46 i through whichfluids can flow, whether directly or via a conduit or tubular element(indicated as 46 i per FIG. 5 i ). That is to say, the aperture 46 iscontiguous about its perimeter i.e., any excess fluid from goods withinthe box is permitted to pass though the aperture if above the level ofthe lowest part of the aperture, when the aperture is associated with aside wall — this consideration must be provided to any slope upon whichthe box may be placed — noting that the box — conveniently several boxes— will be typically placed upon a pallet or similar support, whereby anumber of boxes can be transported together. The apertured panel maycomprise only the base panel, but whilst this does not cause anyproblems for a lowermost box, this can impede seepage of excess water,for second an further upper layers of boxes when stacked, due in part tosurface tension effects and a proximity of a lid of a lower container.The aperture associated the closed end of the insert may be formedsimultaneously with the aperture associated with the inlet end 51 of thethroat 52 of the insert 45, for example by means of an grommet/eyeletinserting tool or machine, having either hand pressed or pneumaticallyinserting/mating tool elements which crimp an eyelet or grommet todefine an aperture whilst simultaneously providing an eyelet/grommet toseal the two sheets of plastic and define aperture through which fluidsmay pass. As will be understood by those skilled, the fastening tool ormating tool elements must be arranged such that they can meet the baseor adjacent the base whilst extending over the sidewalls of the box,i.e. the throat of the tool must be sufficiently large.

Referring to FIG. 4 iii , there is shown a complete box 40 with a lid 40i. Lid is provide by a paperboard or cardboard element that is sheathedin a plastics bag or film 52 i, in common with the method of sealing ofthe main box 40, with insert 52, as sealed in the form as shown in FIG.4 iv , where the depending elements 51 are heated so as to melt anddefine a closed membrane 52 i about box 40. It will be appreciated thatplastic films could be arranged in a similar fashion, rather than agenerally bag-shaped insert as such, although there would typically beless wastage with an insert 52. The apertures may be provided with afilter, to be placed about the aperture, for example formed from afoamed plastic / nylon mesh filter operable to prevent fish scales andthe like or other debris from causing a blockage to flow through thenozzle.

Referring to FIG. 5 i there is shown a second embodiment of theinvention wherein an open-top produce box 40 is shown, in common withthe first embodiment, with upstanding side walls 41 extending from abase panel indicated at 42. The produce box 40 is provided withhorizontal supports 43 at corners 44. At each of the lower corners ofthe shorter sidewalls there are provided apertures 47. A bag like insert45 is provided having an open end 51 defining a main aperture 52 topermit wet goods to be inserted therein and a closed end 53 beingprovided with four tubular elements 46 extending outwardly from theclosed end. The closed end is placed in the box and the open end ormouth 31 is folded over, the apertures 46 are defined and sealed betweenthe two sheets or films of the plastics insert 45 (per FIG. 4 ii ) asdiscussed above and the tubular elements 46 i are arranged to beinserted through the at least one aperture 46 — and through the aperture47 defined within a side wall 41 of the box or possibly about an edgeadjacent the base panel 42 and side wall. If only present on a singleside wall 41 of the box, it is preferable that the aperture 47 is asclose to the bottom of the wall panel as possible. Whilst in the limitthere may be only one tubular element 46 i, where there are multipletubular elements, it is convenient for them to be spaced apart in termsof the closed end of the plastic bag 45 — and, conveniently for examplefor a rectangular box, along all sides of the box, whereby drainage willoccur, irrespective of any sloping surface that the box may be placedupon. Applicants have found that the tubes can drain by capillaryaction: i.e. the tubes do not need to be comprised of a solid tube andmay have a flexible end section, which self closes, although if there isan excess of fluid, gravity action will provide the predominant watertransport effect. This means that the tubes do not necessarily need tobe kept in an open state, but must not be folded over to prevent flow.Notwithstanding, this a filter may be placed about the aperture, forexample formed from a foamed plastic / nylon mesh filter operable toprevent fish scales and the like from blocking a nozzle.

FIG. 5 ii shows an exemplary plastic bag insert 45 without a box presentand is provided with four tubular elements about a base surface 53 whichgenerally corresponds in dimensionally with the base panel of arectangular box; the outlet tubes 46 being arranged to emerge throughcorresponding apertures in two opposing side panels of the box; equallya single tube 46 i can be provided for each side wall 41 of a box.

FIG. 6 shows how the plastic bag 45 can be placed within the box, in amanual fashion by inserting the tubular elements 46 through theirrespective outlets 47 placed at the base of the box; the closed end isbrought into contact with the inside face of the box and the open end isextended up and over a top edge of the box and the bag is brought downsuch that the although this can also be performed by automated systems.The height of the plastic bag - that is the distance from the closed endto the edge of the aperture 51 is conveniently slightly greater thantwice the high of the sidewall: this permits the bag to be placed insidethe box and to be returned around the outside of the box such that itdepends to at least the base of the box. In use, with wet goods placedwithin the plastic-bag lined box, the outlet tubes permit excess waterto drain, and when a similar box is placed upon a first box and filledwith goods, it will be appreciated that the water emanating from theupper box will pass over the folded back plastic-bag of the lower box,preventing the drainage water of the upper box from contacting the sidewalls of the lower box.

Typically, each container shown in the Figures herein has a generallyrectangular base 42 from which the four side walls 41 extend upwardlywhen the container is in the erect condition, the box being constructedfrom cardboard. Those skilled in the art will realize that ordinarilycardboard is susceptible to weakness when damp. However, cardboard canbe treated to make it water resistant, at least on one side, whereby thecardboard remains an inexpensive yet recyclable construction material.If substantial weather-proof coatings are applied, then not only doesthe cost of the cardboard increase, but also the cardboard my then notbe easily recycled. It has been found satisfactory to apply a weatherresistant coating on one side — the outside of the box — which alsocorresponds with the lower surface of base panel 42, whereby a proximityof such a base panel surface, even a touching contact, to a wetdistribution product doesn’t weaken the box to prevent the box fromperforming its storage function.

FIG. 7 shows how five boxes are placed together, with a stack of threeboxes together with a stack of two boxes. The drainage tubes 46 i arearranged so that the fluid emanating from the wet goods is passed out ofthe box, to a floor area, which in the environment of a harbour ordedicated transport vehicle will be provided with drainage channels. Theupper boxes will be permitted to enable fluid flow to occur about thefolded-over waterproof inserts, about the outside of lower placed boxes,whereby preventing passage of fluid against any board panel of the box.The folded-over waterproof inserts of one box upon another, due to theirlength, provide an overlap similar to the arrangement of tiles upon theroof of a building, preventing contact of water with respect to the box,which can therefore be made from products such as cardboard without theneed for the presence of a high level of plastics or other waterproofingagents, whereby to assist recycling and reducing unit cost. FIG. 8 showstwo stacked boxes of a reduced sidewall height as a first variant.

In a further variant, a lid is provided to close a top of the box. In astill further variant, the sidewall panels extend beyond the height ofthe box, with a crease to enable folding, as shown in FIG. 9 , todispense with the need of a separate lid. It will be seen that thesidewall thereby provide an overlapping arrangement to define at least apartial cover.

It has not been simple to mould bags as shown in FIG. 5 , withrepeatable tolerances at low cost. In a first alternative, a bag withtwo tubes can be simply mass produced. With reference to FIG. 10 , asimple system for producing such bags is shown: a heater 20 receivespellets 20 a of plastics material, such as a polymer, which are heatedto a molten state and fed to extruder system 21 to form a basic elementof sack manufacture being a tube of plastics film by extruding theplastics melt under high pressure. The machine 21 will have a screwfeeder forcing the melt through an annular die 21 a, which benefits froma molten polymer passing about the complete cross section of the diebefore exiting the die. The molten plastic is cooled somewhat beforeleaving the die to yield a weak semi-solid tube 22, the diameter ofwhich is caused to expand by the use of air pressure whereby the tube’sdiameter is rapidly expanded whilst the melt is reduced in temperatureas the tube is drawn upwards with rollers 23, stretching the plastic inboth the transverse and draw directions.

The drawing and blowing cause the film to be thinner than the extrudedtube, and also preferentially aligns the polymer molecular chains in thedirection that sees the most plastic strain. If the film is drawn morethan it is blown i.e. the final tube diameter is close to the extrudeddiameter, then the polymer molecules will be highly aligned with thedraw direction, making a film that is strong in that direction, but weakin the transverse direction. As the film continues to cool, it is drawnthrough several sets of nip rollers 23 to flatten it into lay-flattubing, which can then be further processed including the steps of beingtensioned prior to being uniformly cut by way of a die-board cuttingprocess or similar in a bag forming machine 24., which outputs multiplesingle bag units 25, which are arranged in bundles 26.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12 , in particular, there is shown adrainage tube 46 i in detail, which comprises a flange 101 at a proximalend thereof, to be associated with an aperture 47 defined in a lowerportion of the box; the aperture 47 for a drainage tube 46 may beoffset. The flange 101 may be circular, although it may have a reducedcollar downwardly (i.e. be of a general inverted “U” shape, with thestraight part adjacent the base 42 of the box) to enable the aperture 46and correspondingly an opening of the tube 102 to sit adjacent the base42 of the box and permit water flow through the flange and along aninside channel defined therein to enable drainage water to pass throughunder gravity to a distal end 104 of the tube 103. The section of thetube conveniently reduces in cross-section as the channel passes towardthe exit 104, providing a benefit with respect to a gentle widening ofan aperture in the film of the plastics bag upon installation, wherebythe plastics film engages with a stretched portion of the plastics, andcan adhere to an adhesive 107 applied to the outside of the nozzle or toa liquid adhesive applied upon manual application.

Once the nozzle assembly has been placed within a box and referring toFIG. 12 , where the assembly is shown from one side, in partialcross-section (in plane of absent wall) and in partial perspective andan inside view of the box, respectively. The plastic film of the bag 45,is shown passing upward upon wall 41 and then passes down on the otherside, extending to below the base of the box, 42. It is clear that theflange enables the plastic bag to engage about the proximal portion, incontact with the adhesive section 107; the procedure is followed withregard to another aperture associated with the bag, towards the open endof the bag. A similar procedure of attachment can be made; alternativelyor additionally, liquid adhesive, tape or heat sealing could also beenabled to ensure that the nozzle tip 104 can pass water out of the box,without necessarily causing problems through, for example, surfacetension effects. The flange is shown as being of a reduced size withrespect to the aperture or cut-out 47 in the sidewall 41 of the box, butthis has not been found to be a problem. Indeed, it provides a benefitin that if the nozzle assembly is knocked, it does not cause the fitmentof the nozzle with respect to the aperture to become damaged.

Nonetheless, in a further variant, with reference to FIG. 13 , when thebag 45 is shown passing up the wall 41 and then passing down the otherside, one could place an eyelet 130 in position, ideally punching outthe two sheets of plastics film at the same time, noting that to beperformed sequentially, possibly with distinct equipment could make theholes become misaligned. Eyelets are known from various industries andcan be manufactured form a range of metals and plastics and in a rangeof sizes, such as with internal diameters of 15 mm, 25 mm and 40 mm,with different neck lengths. With reference to FIG. 14 , an eyelet 1401is shown with a backing washer 1402; FIGS. 14 i-14 iii show 25, 16 and40 mm eyelets, indicating some typical dimensions; FIG. 14 iv showsanother type of eyelet, together with typical washer element which canbe used to assist placement.

FIG. 15 shows a nozzle 1403 having a decreasing diameter nozzle element1404 which opens up to a flange element 1405, which conveniently has arubber cuff or additional sealant member, for abutting about an insidediameter the eyelet. By pairing an eyelet with a nozzle or funnel-likeelement, having dimensions to provide an interference fit between theexternal wall of the nozzle and the inside aperture of the eyelet, awatertight seal can be simply and easily fabricated. In some cases, thedifferent materials of the eyelet and the nozzle re complementarywhereby the parts are elastically retained to one another. Variousstyles of nozzles are readily available, with many being made for usewith, for example, dispensing of sealants, mastics and similar viscousproducts. It will also be appreciated, that the nozzles could beassociated with tubing, conveniently joining multiples tubes viamanifolds, whereby to assist in disposing of fluids.

In the fabrication of the apertures and eyelets therefor, simpleequipment can be utilised. For Example, Hanolex Limited of Rochdale, area supplier of eyelets and equipment for affixing to sheet material. Inparticular, it has been found that eyelets with an inside diameter ofbetween 5 and 10 mm have provided favourable results, which holes arenot blocked by debris, seaweed, etc particularly easily. Notwithstandingthis, as is known, for particular wet goods the sizes provided and theshapes of the apertures could be varied. Indeed, it would be possible toprovide the apertures with integral gauze or filters, whilst filtermedia in the form of gauze, filamentous elements, removable pads etc.The skilled person will also realize that different sizes can beprovided, to suit the particular wet distribution commodity. Theequipment can be manually operated of be provided, with assistance, forexample operating under pneumatic control, noting that to extend overthe sides of boxes, the throat from a punch tool and the support armmust be sufficiently large to operate. Hanolex Ltd. produce varioustypes of eyelets, sometimes together with a washer, such features beingdependent upon the thickness and type of material employed. Indeed,there are a number of eyelet manufacturers who produce eyelets that canbe recycled it has been found to be relatively simple to place a bagwithin a box, Corrugated cardboard comes in a range of sizes, strengthsand types — relating to the size of the flute, the thickness of theboards and the numbers of layers of corrugation — as well as the type offibre, typically being wood-pulp fibre. The skilled man will realize howto specify the thickness and strength of the cardboard for a particularfunction with a particular we distribution product. Whilst, it has beenmentioned that the bag is a stretchable plastics bag, the bag could be apaper bag that has been treated with a waterproof coating, although suchbags have been found not to stretch as readily as a plastics bag andperform better if liquid adhesive is applied about the nozzle whenassembled. In the event that an insert bag is placed within a box andthen permitted to drape about the sides of the box, prior to fastening,it would also be possible to provide a degree of rigidity and additionaldegree of waterproofing by the provision of a stretch-wrap or similarwrapping of sheet plastics to be arranged about the external sides ofthe box, and conveniently also the base. A further alternative would beto have an external bag int which the box is placed and then the insertbag arranged as discussed above, with these two variations benefittingin providing a greater degree of plastics film/sheeting to define theaperture, when thermo formed, for example.

The present invention can assist in providing a simple to implement,cheap to produce cellulose-based board such as cardboard/fibreboardcarton/container wherein a product can be used multiple times and at theend of use can be separated into distinct recyclable plastics andreusable wood fibre. It will be apparent from the above description thatmany variations and modifications can be made without departing from thescope of the present invention. In particular, many different sizes ofcontainer could be designed, with corresponding arrangements ofinterlocking formations.

1. A wet cold chain distribution transport/storage container for thetransport /storage of wet products comprising: a corrugated board boxand an insert; wherein the corrugated board box comprises at least abase panel and a wall panel, the wall panel having a height defined byan upper edge with respect to the base, the corrugated board box beingprovided with at least one aperture in a wall portion proximate to thebase panel or within the base panel, the base and wall panel havinginside faces and an external faces; wherein the insert comprises awaterproof membrane in a general bag-like shape having an open end witha perimeter edge, a sleeve portion which terminates at a closed end anda height being greater than twice the height of the sidewall of the box;wherein the closed end of the insert is arranged against the inside basepanel of the box and the closed end is provided with at least oneaperture, each said at least one aperture being associated with acorresponding aperture of the box; wherein the perimeter edge of theopen end of the insert is arranged about the external faces of the wallpanel depending below the base of the box lowermost outside, wherein afurther aperture within the sleeve portion and in correspondence with anaperture of the closed end to form an aperture pair, each aperture pairbeing sealed together to form a unitary aperture; the transport /storagecontainer permitting placement of wet goods within the insert, the oreach aperture pair permitting drainage of fluid from within the insert,outside of the container.
 2. The wet cold chain distributiontransport/storage container of claim 1, wherein the box is provided witha lid comprising a flat portion in correspondence with the plandimensions of the box, with edge portions depending downwardly to securethe lid to the box.
 3. The wet cold chain distribution transport/storagecontainer of claim 1, wherein the height of the insert is such that theperimeter edges of the insert can be sealed together to provide awaterproof box.
 4. The wet cold chain distribution transport/storagecontainer of claim 2, wherein the lid is formed from cardboard and isenclosed with a waterproof covering.
 5. The wet cold chain distributiontransport/storage container of claim 1, wherein corrugated board isformed from paperboard.
 6. The wet cold chain distributiontransport/storage container of claim 1, wherein each pair of aperturesis sealed by means of an eyelet system.
 7. The wet cold chaindistribution transport/storage container of claim 1, wherein each pairof apertures is sealed by means of a heat crimp.
 8. The wet cold chaindistribution transport/storage container of claim 1, wherein a nozzle isprovided to assist in drainage of fluid from the inside of the box. 9.The wet cold chain distribution transport/storage container of claim 8,wherein a manifold system is provided to drain the or each nozzle fromone or more boxes.
 10. The wet cold chain distribution transport/storagecontainer of claim 1, wherein the box is provided with reinforcementsection about the upstanding edge corners to permit stacking of boxes.11. The wet cold chain distribution transport/storage container of claim1, wherein the box has a rectangular base and four upstanding wallpanels.
 12. The wet cold chain distribution transport/storage containerof claim 1, wherein the box is provided with reinforcement section aboutthe upstanding edge corners to permit stacking.
 13. The wet cold chaindistribution transport/storage container of claim 1, wherein there is anaperture defined within a wall panel proximate the base panel.
 14. Thewet cold chain distribution transport/storage container of claim 1,wherein there is an aperture defined within a base panel.
 15. The wetcold chain distribution transport/storage container of claim 1, whereinthe exterior walls of the box is sheathed in plastics film prior toplacement of the insert.
 16. The wet cold chain distributiontransport/storage container of claim 1, wherein the box is placed withina first bag-like element, such that the sides of the box are at leastpartially sheathed, whereupon placement of the insert within the box anddepending of the circumferential rim and throat of the insert down thesides of the box, the integrity of the cellulose box is maintained inuse.
 17. A system of containers comprising at least first and secondcontainers of claim 1, wherein a second box is placed upon a first box,the arrangement permitting drainage of any wet goods associated with thesecond box through at least one drainage tube thereof, the drainage tubebeing arranged such that the tube is operable to drain clear of thelower, first box.